Twelve Middlebury students will be traveling to the Dominican Republic over February break as part of a Middlebury Alternative Break (MAlt) trip. This trip will be partner with non-profit 7elements and the community in Puerto Plata to better understand factors that contribute to health disparities through a variety of projects including community gardening and cement floor construction.
While participating in some of their food security initiatives, we will learn about the importance of diverse diets and strong agricultural structures in promoting strong health outcomes. We hope to better understand healthcare systems outside of the United States and investigate the intersection between the different aspects of food insecurity and health outcomes.